Folding sofa-bed.



A. U,- SELL FOLDING SOFA BED. AZILIUALIUN rum JAN, 1n mm Patentml June 30, 1914.

2 SHE-RTE SHEET 1.

A. C. BELL. FOLDING SOFA BED, APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 15. 1909 Patented June 30, 1914.

2 8HEET$--SHEBT 2.

A'ii'EE-ET if. BELL, F CHIGAGD, ILLINC.

.FQLDING SOFA-BED.

Lipeoifiuetiee of Letters Patent.

Patented June so. 1924.

Applientiee flied January 19, 1909. Serial No. 473,

.ie it known that I. Amen! i BELL. a eitizeu oi the United iiiilivti esiding at Uhicu o. in the count iii {,woi; and t-Siuhe of Iiiilh'iie. how Ks on-ii cerisi'u new and 11:5?- ful lii'tproveuien in iohlingg hiofa lieds. of whirh .he following a fulh (leer, concise, and ex desozipiion referen e being hard to the ;s-.L-r.omp:uiyi o iimi'iiu forming a pert of this sped m.

M iikhwiiiifli'. re to 50h! and lets for he ol jwi. to i'rmiri siriuiioo that the hm. 1,. .i-ru opened up shuil here it 5.21.. ier wiiiih Hum he? herui ioie been found pim ti uhh" in the past. in "mains-Moo "Wiill 1-, of ihie ohrem it ho.- e -n Found :11pm I to secure :2. width of he l ihun ihui known in the ar is ii "1'. -q1uiricr iied withoui using on excii-seive width of sofa sent. B my invention, l secure u fuii-- width double bed without, how ret. im'rensiilg ihe Width of the. sofa soul. herons] that. usually employed.

beds

A further ohj my invention is. to produ e +1 iohiii min imi i iil'ii ehuil he rmuiiir .wi-ghiro iic: [an .ixigvg: u; ihti'l'illn .1. Elie a moi-human. .wseu'ii'si'wi with the s fa. Mfiflt ijiciizpf i-po cou.-.i'rnrted :l'w to not iuieriei'e in any iii-y e with inking the sh n iH'li apart.

ii i' rher ohirci. i m invention is in pro- Viii. 1i iniilii}? iliiiiiiuiiig [Malawi in) which i'iil. 'vzci g ha oi' rhe rwoiuhh: wut i.-- prm-iicu'iiy l ziluzir'cii hi. all [inn-is whvihcr iii the r oi'u p sition or in. tin ii'z'ii pwdiuu. This iiuizzmfo :i iliii ill Um! i'm either of thew i of {he wet and the ports siighi'i} in r-xvrss of the un -um. which. however. it Hi this \viighi. when the sent pruriiciiliv iiii of ihe J IIHIL'. o1 Huwm one} t d eir' l in ei.-in1hrsoiuhosition. lfuriheu mhrr, i emm'msiruriiou. the height or he i mm hi- Elli-hi0 to accord with that position to he used as a sofa, and that sum is also supported at four points when re olved to the bed sition.

The several drawings illustrating my volition are as follows:

Figure l is a. perspective view of my sofa bed in its sofa position; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sofa bed with the seat reiUlVEfi and the bed portion opened up; Figs. 55., t. 5 and 6 are end views of the sofa bed with the end toward the observer removed these views slmwiog the several positions oi; the seat that are assumed during the rota-- iion oi the seat from its sofa position, shown in Fig. 5, to its hed position, shown in Fig.

*3; Fig. 7 is a deieil view of a. iurt of the hack :"iil a-i' ihe seat, s owing t e cooperaiou of mu i the end supports of the sent with a supporting bracket carried by the end of the sofa bed; Fig. 8 is n detail sectional view taken along the dotted line 8-8 in Fig. 3; Fig. 9 is a. detail sectional View taken along the dotted line 9-9 in Fig. 3; Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken along the dotieil line lo -1O in Fig. 3; and Fig. 11 is :1 detail. sectional view taken alongihe dotted iiue 1i-1i in Fig. 5.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the sofa. bed mmsisls in a heck portion 12,- to which at either end are secured the ends of the sofa. 13 and 15%. Between the ends 13 and 13*, and eupported therefrom, is pluoed a revo'luhie seat 14-. The seat 14 supports from its under Hlifi a bed frame 15, which carries a spring 16 of well known type.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the end 12' is removed from the rest of the sofa structure, without, however remo ing the several parts secured to the end v hich. are empioyed to support the end oi the seui t-i word ihe observer. These parts rarried b Hie end 13, but dissociated therefrom in these figures, consist in, first, an angle iron. 17, upon which one corner of the seat rests. This corner of the seat has secured on its iuider side :i' block 18 and a bent iron 19 by whirh, as the seat is rotated in a nuinuor to be explained, the back edge is positiveiy guided and supported until the pivots of the seat have been moved to their uppermost position. A second member supported from the end 13 r'onsists in a clip 20 adapted to rogag-e :1 hen? her 12] secured to the end of teat. 'lhe cooperation of these ports positively supports the front edge of the seat at the end toward the observer when the seat is in its sofa position. A third member supported by the end 13 consists in a clip 22 similar to the clip 20, this clip 22 serving, as shown in Fig. 6, to engage the bent bar 21 when the seat is in its bed position, and to thus positively support the end of the seat for such position. A fourth member supported by the end 13 consists in a plate 23 which carries a pivot 2 L upon which a bell crank 25 is rotatably mounted. The upper arm of the bell crank 25 carries at 26 a pin adapted to engage a bracket 27 secured to the end of the sofa seat. The lower end of the bell crank 25 is engaged by a spring 28, the other end of which is secured to an adjustable bolt 29 fastened to the back of the sofa bed. It is to be understood that the structure just described in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, is duplicated at the other end of the seat. As a result of this construction, when it is desired to rotate the seat from its sofa position to its bed position, the operator takes hold of the under edge of the front board 30 of the seat and raises the same. The relation of the spring 28 and the lever arms of the bell crank 25 is such that the Weight of the seat is nearly balanced for this condition, as a. result of which but little effort is re uired to lift the seat and clear the bars 21 rom the clips 20 fastened to the ends of the sofa bed. The seat is first lifted as shown in Fig. 4:, and the rotation is continued until the position shown in Fig. 5 is assumed, at which time the supporting irons 19 are freed from the supporting angles 17, leaving the seat and parts carried thereby free to rotate on the pivots 26. At this time the pivots 26 are practically over the pivots 24, while the springs 28 still have small effective lever arms tending to rotate the bell cranks 25 around to the left upon the pivots 24. This rotation is not permitted, however, since the bell cranks 25 at this time engage pins 31 secured in the plates 93. The pivots 26 are therefore held practically rigid and the seat is rotated around to the right until the pins 32 enga e the sides of the bell cranks 25, from w ich time the rotation, instead of being about the pivots 26, is transferred to the pivots 24, with the result that the front board 30 of the seat is brought well back against the upholstery 12 of the back of the sofa bed. In this position the bar 21 engages the clip 22, which prevents further rotation of the seat. The legs 33 pivoted to the framework 14 of the seat are then rotated to a position to support what is now the front edge of the seat.

It is to be observed in connection with the operation described above that the main piv ots 26 of the seat are moved upward and forward as the seat 'is rotated from its sofa position to its bed position, which is just the condition required to give a maximum amount of clearance between the floor and the upholstery of the back. As a result of this construction, I am able to utilize practically all of the s ace beneath the seat without striking the door or the upholstery of the back as the seat is rotated.

The bed frame 15 consists in three sections 15, 15* and 15 pivoted together and adapted to fold up into the position indicated in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, the space between these sections when folded up being designed to accommodate the bedding. After the seat has been rotated to the position indicated in Fig. 6, the spring catch 34 is pushed back and the sections 15 and 15 are moved upward and to the left until they occupy the position indicated in Fig. 2. A leg 35 is pivoted at 36 to each section 15 of the bed frame, and is so connected by a link 37 to the section 15 that when the sections 15 and 15 are opened up to the position indicated in Fig. 2, the legs 35 are automatically moved to positions to support the section 15 in practically the same plane as the section 15. The section 15 is rigidly supported from the framework 14: of the seat by means of the posts 38 and the front board30.

Vhen it is desired to return the seat to its sofa position, the operator raises the outer section 15 of the bed frame and moves it to the position indicated in Fig. 6, the catch 34 being so designed as to automatically engage such section 15 and retain it in its folded position. The legs are by this operation automatically moved to the position indicated in Fig. 6. The engaging members of the sections 15, 15 and 15 are so constructed at their pivotal connections that the sections 15 and 15" cannot be moved in folding the bed further than indicated in Fig. 6. The conformation of these pivotal joints is such also that when the sections are opened up to form a practically continuous bed frame, the sections 15 and 15 cannot be moved beyond their horizontal position, for which position they, together with the section 15', constitute practically a continuous horizontal structure.

After the sections have been moved to the positions indicated in Fig. (i, the legs 33 are folded so as to lie longitudinally of the seat 14, and the seat and parts carried thereby are rotated first upon the pivots 24 until the hell cranks 25 engage the pins 31, and then upon the pivots 26 until the steps 39 engage the under side of the board 40 located along the lower face of the upholstery 12. When the seat and parts carried thereby to the rear and downward until the bars 21 engage the clips 20 and the ir ns 19'rest upon the angles 17.

As shown in Fig. 7, the stops 39 and the in this position, a slight push serves to move cated in Fig. 11.

other that there is no interference between the stops 39 and th e angles 17.

The nature of the engagement between the bars' 21 and the clips 29 is shown in de-;

position.

tail in Figs. 9 and 10.

The ends 13 13 of the sofa'bed are se-f cured to the back 12 by means of bolts and? wing nuts 41, as indicated in Fig. 8, by re-i moving which the ends and back are readily separated from each other. This construction is provided in order that the sofa 4 bedmay be taken to pieces or knocked down to facilitate shipment. This process'is facilitated by the construction of the supporting pivots and brackets, as indi- The pivots 26 secured in the bell cranks are straight, and may be readily withdrawn from the brackets 27 secured to the framework 14 of the seat. When it is desired to take the sofabed apart, the seat is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 5. The bolts 41 at each end are then withdrawn, and the ends are removed one 30: relatively to the corresponding bracket 27 is after another. As each end is removed, the pivot 26 carried thereby is readily withdrawn from the correspondng bracket 27 withoiit reouiring any special operation or disen agement of the parts. It is.bo be observe that displacement of the bell crank 25 'revented for either of the operative posiof the seat by the engagement of the bars 21 with either the clips 20 or the clips 22, which engagement serves to rigidly secdre the ends of the sofa bed to the seat fl'mle.

"As shown in Fig. 11, the pivots 24 are rigidly secured to the plates 23, and are provided with beads to retain the bell cranks 25 in operative position upon such pivots. I g

The bolts 29 are adjustable in order that the tension of the springs 28 may be brought to the point required to properl balance the seat 14 and parts carried there y.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment herein-described, I do not, however, limit myself to this construction, but desire to claim broadly any equivalent construction tli t will suggest itself to those skilled in th art.

What I claim is:

l. Ina folding sofa bed, the combination of a frame, a rotary seat, folding bed sections secured to the under side of the seat, and supporting links pixioted to the seat and theframe and extending rearwardly from the frame pivots when the seat is in its seat position and vertically when the seat is in its rotatin position.

2. In a folding sofa bed, the combination of a frame, a rotary seat, and links pivoted to the frame for pivotally su porting the seat, such links so disposed t at the, seat pivots are practically over the frame pivots when the seat is in its rotatingpositiomand that such seat ivots are to the rear and practically in line withthe frame-pivots horizontally when the seat isin its-sofa w 3. In a sofa bed, the combination of a frame, a rota seat, folding bed sections forming a clot ies compartment under the seat and revoluble therewith, and links pivoted to the seat and to the frame to increase the clearance between the seat pivots and the floor and also between such pivots and the back of the sofa bed before rotating the seat from its seat to its bed position;

4. In a folding sofa bed, the combination of a frame, a rotary seat, links for pivotally supporting the seat, and devices pivotally connecting the links to the seat and'frame in such a position that when the seat is moved to its rotating position the distance between the seat pivots and the floor and the distance between the seat pivots and the back of the sofa :bed are. increased by an amount substantially equal to the lengt of the links.

5. In a folding sofa bed, the combination of a rotary seat, a folding bed frame carried by the seat and consistin lof three sections, the first one of the bed' fame sections being secured to the under side of the seat and adapted to pivotallysu port a second of such sections, such seeo section adapted to pivotally support the third section, a leg pivoted to the third section 16 and a link connecting the leg to the second section, such link servin to move the leg to a position to support t e bed frame when the bed frame sections are opened to their bed osition.

6. n a folding sofa bed the combination of a rotary seat, a supporting frame, a plurality of bed frame sections hinged together to fold under the seat, a leg pivoted to. one of said bed seotionsto support said section, and no a member connectin said leg with a part pithe structure re atively to which said supfhorted section rotates, said member serving to move the leg to supporting position when said section is rotated.

7. In combination, a rotary seat, a folding bed frame comprising a plurality of sections pivoted together, a leg pivoted to the uppermost section to support the bed frame from the floor, and a link connecting such leg with another of said bed sections, said link serving to move the leg to supporting position upon the floor when the bed frame is rotated to its bed position.

8. In a folding sofa bed, the combination of a rotary seat, a supporting frame, a plurality of bed frame sections hinged together to fold under the seat, a leg pivoted to the outermost of said bed sections to support the same, and a link connecting said leg 1" with a. part of the structure relatively to which said outermost section rotates, said link'serving to move the leg to supporting position when said outermost section is ro- 5 tated.

. 9. In a. folding sofa bed, the combination of a -otary seat, a supporting frame, a plumlity of bed frame sections hinged together to fold under the seat, a leg connected to 10 one of said bed sections to support said section, and mechanism connected with the leg for automatically moving said leg to supportin%) position when said section is moved to its 'ed position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 1: my name this 9th day of January 1909. ALBERT G. ELL. Witnesses: LEONARD W. Novnumn, A. A. THOMAS.

with a part of the structure relatively to tion,' and mechanism connected with the leg which said outermost section rotates, said link'serving to move the leg to supporting portin% position'when said posision when said outermost section is rotate r n 9. In a folding sofa bed, the combination of a, 'rotary seat, asupporting frame, a plurality of bed frame sections hinged together to fold-under the seat, a leg connected to 10 one of said bed sections to support said secfor automatically moving said leg to supsectionis moved to its ed position.

In witness whereof, I' hereunto subscribe 16 my name this 9th day of January 1909. v ALBERT o. 1ELL. Witnesses:

LEONARD W. Noumea, A. A". THOMAS.

1 It is hereby certified that in Iietters Patent No. 1,1015988, granted'June 30, 1914, upon the application of Albertll. Bell, of lhicego, Illinois, for an improvement in Folding Sofa-Beds, an error in the printed specification requiring correetion 'as follows: Page 3, line llz for the word uppermost read outermost; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Ofiice.

' Signed and sealed this 21st day of July, A. D., 191 4 I I 2 e; F. WHITEHEA Acting Uommissioner Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,101,988.

. e l It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,101g988, granted June 30, 1914,

4 upon the application of Albert C. Bell, of Chicego, Illinois, for an improvement in Folding Sofe-Beds, an error appeale in the printed specification requiring corfection as follows: Page 3, line 118, for the word uppermoet reed outer most;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the aanremay conform to the record of the casein the Patent Ofliee.

S igned' and sealed this 211st day of July, A. D., 1 91 4,

Lame-. v a R; F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner ofPatenita. 

